If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You will be required to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

Comment

Curious, the CE classes every year... do they actually teach you anything of substance each and every year? The code book isn't re-written every year, so why the mandatory classes every year? I never took the CE classes for the Low-Voltage certification I had, so it lapsed. I guess now if I want to ever renew it I have to jump through quite a bit of hoops to do so. Not that I care, I don't do any of it anymore except in my house anyway, can't make money at it unless you have a good client base and builders, and plus I have a buddy that runs a LV business anyway so I just refer clients to him and he'll give me a kick back anyway.

Comment

CE in relation to code doesn't have much value in my opinion. Seems people on the board creating jobs for themselves by having discussions and unnecessary changes.

Example:

In a garage or storage area where flammable liquids could be stored they determined-

You had to put gas water heaters on stands. FVIR or not. And electrical could be on the floor.
Then the next year they said that FVIR could be on the floor and electrical as well.
Then they wanted FVIR on a stand and electrical on a stand.
Now FVIR can be on the floor but electrical has to be on a stand.

Why electrical on a stand? Because it is not FVIR rated. Why isn't it rated/tested? Because to my knowledge there have been so little instances of ignition that it has not been required to be tested for an FVIR rating.

Stuff like that goes on to keep the red tape going in the name of "safety".

Other classes I would be interested in some though. Just for personal learning.

Comment

I apprenticed in Alberta for my plumbing and gas. Plumbing is a red seal ticket meaning I can take it anywhere in Canada and it is recognized. There is no recuring fee for this anywhere in the country to my knowledge. My gas is different though. In Alberta, it is treated the same as the plumbing certification. They are journeyman certificates with no 'licencing fees'.
I am in BC now, though and they tax us every 3 years to keep our gas liscences to the tune of 120$. Not a lot of money, but there is no testing or any other component to show whether you still know anything about anything. Just pay the man and thank him for the privilege of working in the trade for another 3 years. Nothing but a cash grab.
I am not sure what the other provinces do in regard to this.

Comment

california is $300.00 every 2 years for your contractors license. plus the cost of a bond every year. not to mention all the fees every city you work in collects in business tax. right now i pay for 4 different cities annually.

california is $300.00 every 2 years for your contractors license. plus the cost of a bond every year. not to mention all the fees every city you work in collects in business tax. right now i pay for 4 different cities annually.

rick.

"Business Tax"? Please elaborate. Do you mean permit fees or are these towns charging you for a business license to pull permits in their town? I don't even have to carry a business license in my own town since I operate from home. Most towns I have to "register." but there is seldom a registration fee.

I am licensed and bonded with the State as a plumbing contractor and have a journyman's license from Chicago (good anywhere in the State). I do not work in Chicago though, so I do not have a Chicago contractor's license. That has a separate bond and fee (state contractor's license is not reciprocal). Chicago also has a separate Drain Layer's license as well as a Home Repair License. The City of Chicago has a lot of extra fees and paperwork. Fortunately 99.5% of my customers are in the suburbs.

Comment

"Business Tax"? Please elaborate. Do you mean permit fees or are these towns charging you for a business license to pull permits in their town? I don't even have to carry a business license in my own town since I operate from home. Most towns I have to "register." but there is seldom a registration fee.

I am licensed and bonded with the State as a plumbing contractor and have a journyman's license from Chicago (good anywhere in the State). I do not work in Chicago though, so I do not have a Chicago contractor's license. That has a separate bond and fee (state contractor's license is not reciprocal). Chicago also has a separate Drain Layer's license as well as a Home Repair License. The City of Chicago has a lot of extra fees and paperwork. Fortunately 99.5% of my customers are in the suburbs.

Comment

CE in relation to code doesn't have much value in my opinion. Seems people on the board creating jobs for themselves by having discussions and unnecessary changes.

Example:

In a garage or storage area where flammable liquids could be stored they determined-

You had to put gas water heaters on stands. FVIR or not. And electrical could be on the floor.
Then the next year they said that FVIR could be on the floor and electrical as well.
Then they wanted FVIR on a stand and electrical on a stand.
Now FVIR can be on the floor but electrical has to be on a stand.

Why electrical on a stand? Because it is not FVIR rated. Why isn't it rated/tested? Because to my knowledge there have been so little instances of ignition that it has not been required to be tested for an FVIR rating.

Stuff like that goes on to keep the red tape going in the name of "safety".

Other classes I would be interested in some though. Just for personal learning.

J.C.

Because most of the people who decide and write code are F'n stupid or F'n crooks.

I carry a state plumbing license, and also have to have a state plumbing contractor license which keeps us from having to pay each and every city a business license fee since the state plumbing contractors license has us get a bond and insurance for the whole state, except Chicago. To do plumbing in Chicago you have to get there plumbing contractors license, and if you want to do drain work you need the Drain layers License (separate test if you get it the first time). Also if you do backlow testing you need to have your Cross Connection Control Device Inspectors (CCCDI) license. Not including the bonds needed for Chicago and the State, I spend $415 a year to renew my licenses. Continued Education here you can take the free classes offered by the State, or take the independent pay classes that have to be registered and approved by the state. The pay classes can be from $25 all the way up to $800 depending how many hours they are offering.